The present invention relates to a fuel feed device, particularly for diesel engines, with fuel filtering, heating and emulsifying members.
In internal combustion diesel engines, the presence of impurities and water in the fuel can seriously compromise the proper operation and life of the constituent members of the fuel injection equipment.
A further drawback, in the case of low ambient temperature, is that the paraffinic components contained in the diesel oil separate with subsequent formation of paraffin crystals able to clog the fuel circuit ducts.
The solid impurities present in the diesel oil are currently filtered by disposing several filters along the fuel feed pipe, but these filters are unable to prevent the formation of paraffin crystals or to remove the water from the diesel oil.
This water can be either already present in the diesel oil when it is supplied or can collect subsequently following condensation of the moisture in the air contained in the tank.
The presence of large water droplets in the fuel feed circuit leads to several difficulties, such as low efficiency, starting difficulties and surface oxidation. In addition, this water tends to accumulate in the said filters, making it necessary to periodically bleed them.
The problem therefore arises of providing a fuel feed device which allows fuel filtering and heating while preventing water accumulation by dispersing it together with the fuel, so as not to reduce the engine efficiency, but instead to utilise the positive contribution made by the water if emulsified in fine dispersion within the fuel.